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Press Release

MPS SLAM GOVERNMENT NEGLECT OF HERITAGE

MPs of all parties today [1] criticise the Government for failing to give sufficient priority to the historic environment or to properly fund the body charged with its stewardship, English Heritage.

Among the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s concerns are the lack of funding for English Heritage, the low priority given by Government to heritage and the VAT regime, which adds to the cost of repairing and maintaining buildings.

The MPs find the Government’s explanation for cutting English Heritage’s funding ‘unconvincing’ and its claim to attach priority to heritage as ‘cosmetic and not borne out by the facts’. [2] They warn that heritage will deteriorate and communities and local authorities will lose confidence in English Heritage ‘unless DCMS takes action to ensure it can fulfil its functions properly.’ [3]

Kate Gordon, CPRE’s planning officer, [4] said:

‘We fully support the Committee’s call on Government to recognise and support the crucial role of English Heritage in providing expert advice. As the Committee says, no other body has the expertise to provide such a service.

‘We agree wholeheartedly with the Committee that Government should act on the issue of VAT on building repairs and maintenance. The extra cost imposed by VAT encourages damaging alterations to historic buildings (since alterations are not subject to VAT, but repairs are) and can lead to their neglect or even demolition.

‘The fact that the Prime Minister’s recent letter to DCMS on priorities failed to mention the importance of the historic environment is symptomatic of a wider neglect of heritage. We endorse the Committee’s call for measures to ensure heritage is better represented across Government departments and to remedy poor inter-departmental working.

‘The public places a high value on the historic environment. At the same time we face increasing environmental and cultural challenges. Now more than ever we need clarity about how the historic environment can best be cared for. We urge the Government to act on the Committee’s recommendations as a matter of urgency.’



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